Collapsible umbrella



April 8, 1969 H. WEBER COLLAPSIBLE UMBRELLA med Apr-11 1v, 1968 /m/en/or.' H M3 [AMI/4.

April 8, 1959 H. WEBER n 3,437,097

.Y COLLAPS I BLE UMBRELLA uw; April 17, 1968 sheet Z 5f s /F/Q v u n 3.7-1-

/nve/z/or:

flill Nikki H. WEBER coLLAPsIBLE UMBRELLA April s, 1969 Sheet Filed April 17, 1968 /n ven/0r HR.

United States Patent O Im. ci. A451) i9/06, 25/12 U.S. Cl. 13S-26 4 Claims ABSTRACT F THE DISCLOSURE yCollapsible umbrella has a hollow stick and roofsupporting ribs, all formed of three telescoping portions, and a handle formed with an annular space for receiving therein, in the fully telescoped condition of the stick and ribs, spherical knobs located at the points of the ribs, the annular space having a radial width at least equal to twice the diameter of the knobs. A latching device is located at the handle and movable within the space for locking the spherical knobs received therein, and a control device located inside the stick and operatively connected with the latching device. The control device is actuable for releasing the latching device into locking condition only when the knobs are received in the space.

My invention relates to collapsible umbrella of the type having roof-supporting ribs formed of three telescoping members, a corresponding telescopic, triblejointed umbrella stick, a main slider mounted on the stick and slidable therealong, a plurality of struts respectively having one end thereof articulatingly connected to the inner end of the middle roof-supporting rib members yand the other end thereof to the main slider, respective locking members between the middle and the outer roofsupporting rib members, a handle formed with an annular groove for receiving therein spherical knob members located at the free end of the outer roof-supporting ribs, and a displaceable latch member which, in latching position thereof, latches the spherical knobs in the handle.

With umbrellas of the aforementioned type, a diiculty arises in that two adjacent roof-supporting ribs may unavoidably cross one another, when telescopically collapsed instead of lying parallel to one another. Since the spherical knob members are previously locked in the annular groove of the handle, the roof-supporting ribs cannot then arrange themselves properly, so that crossed pairs of roof-supporting ribs consequently remain in this reversed or crossed position. Although this may not necessarily always cause a breakdown of the umbrella when it is being collapsed, nevertheless, crossed pairs of roofsupporting ribs frequently prevent complete collapsing of the umbrella frame because jamming of various parts thereof occur before the frame can be placed in its linal collapsed condition. The roof-supporting rib members simultaneously become excessively bent and, under certain circumstances undergo changes in shape due to having exceeded the elastic limit of the material, i.e., metal, for example, of which they are made. Such deformations of the roof-supporting rib members are most undesirable because the rib members are unable or are able only with great difficulty to be telescoped.

It is accordingly an object of my invention to provide collapsible umbrella which avoids the aforementioned disadvantage of the heretofore known collapsible umbrellas of this general type. It is thus a specific object of my invention to provide collapsible umbrella which will prevent deformation of the roof-supporting rib members due to crossing of the ribs and consequent jamming of the umbrella frame as it is being collapsed.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, I conceived my invention based upon the principle of affording crossed roof-supporting rib pairs which are being telescopically collapsed, an opportunity of rearranging themselves automatically in a natural manner along the umbrella stick, before the roof-supporting rib ends are locked at the handle of the umbrella. More specifically, this principle is incorporated in the collapsible umbrella of my invention by providing the annular groove or space formed in the handle, wherein the spherical knob members at the free ends of the roof-supporting ribs are received, with a radial width which is at least equal to twice the diameter of the spherical knob members in the unlocked condition of the spherical knob members. A latching member for locking the spherical knob members in the handle groove is operatively connected with a control member mounted within the stick of the umbrella. The control member retains the locking member in nonlocking condition when the umbrella frame is not fully collapsed, and is actuable from a location at the middle portion of the stick for releasing the latching member to lock the spherical head members in the annular groove only after the spherical head members are actually received in the annular groove.

In umbrellas of the hereinbefore-mentioned type, as exemplified by those disclosed in Swiss Patent 210,033 and German Patent 625,783, care is taken that the locking member which fixes the roof-supporting ribs at the handle is moved out of locking position, when the umbrella is being extended, only during the last phase of the extension, namely only after the locking means located between the middle and outer portions of the roofsupporting ribs are actuated to lock those portions in extended condition; otherwise the umbrella roof would not be spread out. Consequently, in accordance with a further feature of the invention in this application, the control member serves this additional purpose. Thus, the control member is also operatively connected to the middle joint of the umbrella stick for retaining the latching member in locking position, as the umbrella is being extended, until the middle and outer portions of the roofsupporting ribs are locked by their locking means in the extended condition thereof.

In accordance with additional features of the invention, the control member operatively connected between the latching member for the spherical knob members, which is mounted on the umbrella handle, and the middle joint of the umbrella stick can have dilerent constructions. Thus, in one embodiment, the control member comprises a push-pull rod movable between limiting positions determined by resilient stop means. The push-pull rod is mova-ble out of one limiting position thereof by engagement of the end of the middle joint of the stick facing the umbrella handle with the resilient stop means, and being movable out of the other limiting position thereof by the insertion of a nosepiece, that is spring-mounted on the push-pull rod, into a recess formed in the wall of the hollow middle joint of the stick.

In a modification of the just-mentioned embodiment according to the invention, the latching member comprises a spring-biased disc displaoeable in the direction of the axis of the umbrella stick. The dise is coupled by a plurality of balls with the push-pull rod, the balls being disposed between oppositely inclined conical surfaces formed on the push-pull rod on the one hand and on the latching member on the other hand. Thus, movement of the push-pull rod in a direction toward and away from the handle of the umbrella always produces movement of the latching member in respective opposite directions.

Other features which are considered as characteristic for the invention are set forth in the appended claims.

Although the invention is illustrated and described herein `as embodied in collapsible umbrella, it is nevertheless not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention and within the scope and range of equivalents of the claims.

The construction and method of operation of the invention, however, together with additional -objects and advantages thereof will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional View of an umbrella frame constructed according to the invention, shown in fully extended condition of the stick thereof;

FIGS. 2 to 4 are views similar to FIG. 1 showing the stick in progressively shortened or telescoped phases thereof;

FIG. 5 is a longitudinal view of part of the umbrella frame in the extended condition of FIG. 1 showing two roof-supporting ribs in crossed condition;

FIG. 6 is a longitudinal View of the umbrella frame corresponding to the fully shortened condition of the stick shown in FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 is a partial cross sectional view taken along the line VII- VII in FIG. 5;

FIG. 8 is a partial cross sectional view taken along the line VIII-VIII in FIG. 6;

FIG. 9 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view of part of the umbrella frame corresponding to the fully extended condition of the frame substantially as shown in FIG. 1 but with the struts thereof omitted;

FIG. 10 is a view corresponding to FIG. 9, however showing the frame in completely shortened or collapsed condition;

FIG. 11 is an enlarged portion of the umbrella frame shown in FIG. 9 and identified by the reference character E therein; and

FIG. l2 is another view corresponding to that of FIG. l1 showing the push rod within the stick located in another position.

The stick, roof-supporting ribs and struts, as indicated by the broken-away portions, have had to be shown shorter in the drawings than their actual dimensions because, otherwise, it would be impossible to illustrate the individual features thereof with necessary clarity.

Referring now more particularly to FIGS. l to 4 of the drawing, there is shown a stick of an umbrella frame formed of three telescopically slidable hollow joints 1, 2 and 3, of which the joint 3 is slidable in the joint 2, and the latter in the joint 1. The stick joint 1 carries an umbrella crown 4 at the free end thereof, and the stick joint 3 has a handle 5 at the free end thereof, Roof-supporting ribs generally bearing the reference numeral 7, are pivotally connected at one end thereof -to the crown 4 by hinges 6 and are provided at the other end thereof with respective spherical knob members 8 (so-called points). The roof-supporting ribs are formed, like the stick 1, 2, 3, of three telescopically collapsible portions, namely an inner portion 9, a middle portion 10 and an outer portion 11. The inner ends of the middle portions 10 of which only an eye 12 is visible in FIG. l, are pivotally connected by a respective strut 13, the so-called main strut, to a slider 14, the socalled main slider, mounted on and displaceable along the stick 1, 2, 3. The main slider 14 is held stationary by a suitable locking mechanism in the position shown in FIG. 1, and can also be locked in the vicinity of the umbrella crown 4 at the stick when the umbrella frame is open. Suitable locking or latching mechanism-s for this purpose are known and, in the interest of avoiding unnecessary complexity, are not shown in the drawings.

4 An additional slider 15, the so-called auxiliary slider, is mounted on the stick 1, 2, 3 and is displaceable therealong between the main slider 14 and the crown 4. Each main strut 13 is hingedly connected with the auxiliary slider 15 by an auxiliary strut 16, which is connected by a joint 17 to the main strut 13 associated therewith.

The middle roof-supporting rib portion 10 and the outer roof-supporting rib portion 11 of each roofsupporting rib can be locked relative to one another in the extended condition thereof. Locking devices for this purpose are likewise known and are therefore not shown in detail in the drawings. When a roof-supporting .'rib is extended, the locking device is automatically snapped into locking position. When the rib is again telescopically collapsed, the middle rib portion 10 and the outer roof-supporting rib portion 11 of each roofcondition while a relative sliding is effected between the inner rib portion 9 and the middle rib portion 10. When about half of the middle rib portion 10 is telescoped within the inner rib portion 9, then a ring 19 displaceably mounted on the rib portion 10 against the biasing action of a helical spring 18 abuts the outer end of the inner rib portion 9, thereby unlocking the device that had previously locked the middle rib portion 10 and the outer rib portion 11 in extended condition.

Two spring-mounted nosepieces 20 and 21 serve for mutually locking the stick joints 1, 2 and 3. The nosepiece 20 interlocks the stick joints 1 and 2 and is formed on an arm 22, as shown in FIG. 9, which is subjected to the biasing action of a hairpin-shaped spring 23. The arm 22 and the spring 23 are mounted in a bushing 24 which is fastened by a pin 2S to the middle portion 2 of the stick at the upper end thereof as shown in FIG. 9. In the locking position of FIGS. l to 3 and 9, the nosepiece 20 extends through registered slots or recesses 26 and 27 formed respectively in the stick joints 1 and 2. The edge 28 of the nosepiece 20 is so shaped that the nosepiece 20 recedes into the interior of the hollow stick when the joints of the stick are telescopically collapsed by applying inwardly directed forces acting on the crown 4 and the handle 5 of the stick. In this inward direction, the locking action of the nosepiece 20 is thus only forcelocking and not form-locking. When the forces are applied in the opposite direction, i.e., when the stick is being extended, an edge 29 of the nosepiece 20 prevents the stick joints from separating from one another.

The nosepiece 21 serves for interlocking the stick joints 2 and 3 and is secured to a leaf spring 29a having an end which is anchored in a recess 30 formed in the Wall of the stick joint 3 and is thereby prevented from axial displacement. The other end 31 of the leaf spring 29a abuts the resilient push-pull rod 32 which forms part of a control member 33, the purpose of which will be described more fully hereinafter. In a manner similar to the aforementioned nosepiece 20, the nosepiece 21 extends through two slots or recesses 34 and 34a formed respectively in the stick joints 2 and 3 in the interlocking position thereof as shown in FIG. 9. The edge 35 of the nosepiece 21 is so shaped that the interlocking of the stick joints 2 and 3 is effected by form-locking or by force in both directions when the umbrella frame is extended. If the umbrella frame is therefore telescopically collapsed by applying pressure at both ends of the stick, then only the nosepiece 20, which interlocks the joints 1 and 2 solely by force-locking, yields initially, while the nosepiece 21 remains in the locking position shown in FIG. 9. The result thereof is that, when being telescopically collapsed, only the stick joints 1 and 2 are initially slidable relative to one another, while no relative displacement occurs between the stick joints 2 and 3. During the further course of collapsing the stick, the lower edge 36 of the stick joint 1, as shown in FIG. 9, reaches the vicinity of the nosepiece 21, however, and presses the nosepiece 21 radially inwardly so that it assumes the position shown in FIGS. 4 and 10. This occurs shortly before the stick joints 1 and 2 are completely telescoped within one another. From then on, the force-locking or form-locking interconnection of the stick joints 2 and 3, insofar as it relates to the telescopic collapsing thereof, is maintained by the nosepiece 21. The nosepiece 21 then yields to the telescopically collapsing pressure applied to the stick joints 2 and 3 so that the stick can be telescoped completely into the condition thereof shown in FIGS. 4 and 10. When the stick is extended, however, the nosepiece 21, by becoming inserted in the slot or recess 34, exerts a locking action, which is form-locking or forcelocking even when it is forced inwardly by the stick joint 1, so that the joints 2 and 3 cannot fully separate from one another. In this manner assurance is obtained that when the stick is telescopically collapsed, a relation displacement between the stick joint 1 on the one hand and the stick joints 2 and 3 on the other hand, which remain mutually interlocked, occurs while the relative displacement between the stick joints 2 and 3 first begins when the displacement between the stick joints 1 and 2 has almost completely ended.

When the stick is being extended, a somewhat different action occurs, as is described hereinafter.

The handle 5 is provided with an annular space or groove 36 on the side thereof facing the umbrella crown 4, which serves for receiving the spherical knob members 8 respectively located at the free ends of the roof-supporting ribs of the umbrella. To permit entry of the knobs 8 into the annular space 36, there is provided an opening 37 having `a diameter which is somewhat smaller than the diameter of the annular space 36, due to the shoulder 38 provided on the handle 5. A latching member 39 is axially displaceably mounted on the handle 5 and is formed with a flange 40 which, in the locking position shown in FIG. 10, extends into the annular space 36. The latching member 39 is subjected to the action of a helical spring 41 which continuously biases it and tends to move it into the locking position shown in FIG. 10.

When the umbrella frame is being collapsed, the knobs 8 are inserted into the annular space 36. If the frame has almost been completely collapsed, the flange 40V is then displaced from the position shown in FIG. 9 to the locking position thereof shown in FIG. 10, wherein the knobs 8 are rigidly clamped between the flange 40 and the shoulder 38 within the annular space 36. The manner in which the latching member 39 with the flange 40 thereof is caused to be displaced into the locking position thereof, as show-n in FIG. 10, only when the umbrella frame has almost completely been collapsed, will be described more fully hereinafter, after the problem which is sought to be solved primarily by the invention of the instant application is described in the following paragraphs. Reference with respect thereto is made to FIGS. 5 through 8 of the drawings.

Due to the relatively loose mounting of the roof-supporting ribs in connection with the relatively easy flexibility of the outer roof-supporting rib portions 11 in the hinges 6 thereof at the crown 4 of the umbrella, it can happen that two roof-supporting ribs 7a and 7b as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, and the respective spherical knobs 8a and 8b as shown in FIGS. 5 through 8, can 4cross in the manner shown in FIG. 5 when the frame is being extended. This can make it almost impossible to completely shorten or collapse the frame, as mentioned hereinbefore, and can further cause undesirable lasting changes in the shape of the component parts of the frame which can impede further manipulation of the umbrella.

With an umbrella constructed in accordance with the invention, the undesired crossing shown in FIGS. 5 and 7 can be prevented, however, when the umbrella is collapsed into the position shown in FIGS. 6 and 8 by the fact that the stiffer middle and inner rib portions 9 and 10 again straighten out the outer rib portions 11 when the umbrella is being collapsed and consequently assume the position shown in FIGS. 6 and 8. This is possible, however, only if the spherical knobs 8a and 8b at the ends of the ribs can be arranged without hindrance within the annular space 36 of the handle 5 because of the suitable width c available within the annular space 36. In each case, independently of how many roof-supporting rib pairs cross, as shown in FIG. 5 at the beginning of the umbrella `frame collapsing operation, the nal position assumed by the ribs is that shown in FIG. 6.

It is naturally assumed that the flange 40 of the latching member 39 initially enters the annular space 36 when the roof-supporting ribs and the stick therewith are telescopically collapsed to such an extent that the roof-supporting ribs have arranged in the aforedescribed manner in the annular space 36 in proper sequence, an assumption which is possible only if the latching member 39 is located out of its locking position. This is achieved in the hereinafter described manner.

The latching member 39 is controlled by the aforedescribed control member 33 comprising a plug 42 which is displaceably mounted within the hollow stick joint 3 and is connected to the resilient push-pull rod 32. This control member 33 is so formed that when it is moved from the position shown in FIG. l0 into the position shown in FIG. 9, i.e., in the direction toward the umbrella crown 4, the latching member 39 is actually moved in the opposite direction, i.e., in the direction toward the end of the handle 5. For this purpose the plug 42 is provided with a conical recess 43 having a conical surface 44 which, in the position thereof shown in FIG. 10, serves for receiving a plurality of spheres or balls 45 therein. The latching member 39 is provided with a corresponding conical recess 46 having a conical surface 47 which is, however, inclined in an opposite direction to the conical surface 44. The balls 45 are received in the recess 46 when the latching member 39 is located in the non-locking position shown in FIG. 9.

In the position of FIG. 9, the control member 33 with the aid of the balls 45 prevents the locking member 39, which is subjected to the biasing action of the spring 41, from passing into the locking position. Only when the control member 33 is displaced into the position shown in FIG. 10, are the balls 45 able to roll into the recess 43 in which they free the latching member 39 so that it can be shifted under the biasing action of the spring 41 into the locking position shown in FIG. 10. For this purpose, a displacement of the control member 33 in a direction toward the handle of the stick is required. If, contrariwise, the control member 33 is displaced from the position shown in FIG. 10 in a direction toward the umbrella crown 4, the conical surface 44 forces the balls 45 outwardly, and the latter in turn press the conical surface 47 and the latching member 39 therewith into the position shown in FIG. 9.

The control member 33, by means of the push-pull rod 32, is displaced through the middle stick portion 2 in both axial directions. Both positions, which can be assumed by the control member 33 as shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, are determined by an abutment nosepiece 48 which is secured to the rod 32 and is always received in a slot or recess 49 formed in the stick joint 3. The recess 49 serves as a stop member and has an axial length equal to that of the path which is to be traveled by the latching member 39 as it transfers from the position of FIG. 9 into that of FIG. 10. In both limit positions, the control member 33 is force-lockingly secured by a nosepiece 50 which engages a springy bendable peak portion 51 formed in the upper end of the leaf spring 29a.

The control member 33 is transferred from the position shown in FIG. 9 into that shown in FIG. l0 by a pin 53 extending from the bushing 24 when the pin 53, near the end of the second phase of the telescopic collapse of the umbrella frame, engages the nosepiece 50. Accordingly, the spherical knobs of the roof-supporting ribs, which have rearranged themselves while being telescopically collapsed and have been inserted in the annular space 36,

are locked by the locking member 39 and the flange 40 thereof as they are forced by the spring 41 into the locking position of FIG. 10. This locking of the knobs 8 cannot occur prematurely due to the necessarily assured sequence in which the stick joints are telescopically collapsed (first joint 1 is slid over joint 2 and thereafter both joints 1 and 2 together are slid over joint 3). If the umbrella frame is again extended, then, because of the peak portion 51 of the leaf spring 29a, the push-pull rod 32y and the control member 33 therewith remain in the position shown in FIG. 10. Accordingly, the positions shown sequentially in FIGS. 3 and 2 are assumed, wherein because of the nosepiece 21, the stick joints 1 and 2 initially are displaced against one another and are locked. Toward the end of the extension of the joints 2 and 3, the nosepiece 48 becomes inserted into a recess 54 of the stick joint 2. If the stick joints 2 and 3 are not yet fully extended, that is to a point at which the nosepiece 21 is inserted into its respective recess, then, due to the insertion of the nosepiece 48 into the recess 54 according to FIGS. 2 and 12, the further displacement of the resilient pushpull rod 32 and the plug 42 is interrupted. By further displacement of the stick joint 3 to its end position until the nosepiece 21 is inserted into the recess 34, the nosepiece 50 slides over the peak portion 51 of the leaf spring 29a, whereby through the push-pull rod 32, the latching member 39 is transferred into its free position. During this phase, the nosepiece 48 is raised out of the recess 54 over the inclined surface 55, due to an edge 56 which borders the upper end of the slot or recess 49, which serves as a stop member according to FIG. 12, so that the stick joint 3 is further displaced into its limit position.

I claim:

1. Collapsible umbrella comprising a substantially hollow stick formed of three telescoping portions, a plurailty of roof-supporting ribs respectively formed of an inner, a middle and an outer portion telescoping one another, said ribs being hingedly connected at the free end of said inner rib portions to one end of said stick, said outer rib portions having respective spherical knob members at the free ends thereof, a main runner mounted on said stick and displaceable along the axis of said stick, a plurality of main struts each pivotally linked with said main runner and with a respective middle portion of said roofsupporting ribs, a handle located at the other end of said stick and formed with an annular space for receiving said spherical knob members therein, in fully telescoped 'condition of said stick and said roof-supporting ribs, said annular space having -a given radial width at least equal to twice the diameter of said spherical knob members, latching means located at said handle and movable Within said annular space for locking in said space the spherical knobs received therein, and control means located within said hollow stick and operatively connected with said latching means, said control means being adapted to retain said latching means in nonlocking condition for as long as said spherical knob members are not received in said annular space, and being actuable for releasing said latching means into locking condition when said spherical knob members are received in said annular space.

2. Collapsible umbrella according to claim 1, including means for locking the respective middle and outer rib portions relative to one another in extended condition thereof, rand further means operatively connecting said control member and said middle rib portions for maintaining said latching means in locking condition as said stick and roof-supporting ribs are being extended until said respective middle and outer rib portions are locked relative to one another by said locking means.

3. Collapsible umbrella according to claim 1, wherein said control means comprises a push-pull rod displace-l able within said hollow stick between a pair of limiting positions, resilient stop means for determining both limiting positions of said push-pull rod, said resilient stop means comprising a resilient nosepiece engageable by the end of said middle stick joint facing said handle for moving said push-pull rod out of one of said limiting positions thereof and conversely said resilient nosepiece being receivable in a recess formed in the wall of said middle stick joint for moving said push-pull rod out of the other of said limiting positions.

4. Collapsible umbrella according to claim 1, wherein said latching means are displaceable in the axial direction of said stick and including spring means in said handle biasing said latching means and tending to maintain said latching means in locking condition, said latching means having a flange portion receivable in said annular space in the locking condition of said latching means, said latching means and Said control means having conical surfaces defining space means therebetween and ball means located within the space means between said conical surfaces and cooperating with said surfaces for coupling said latching means and said control means together so that movement of said control means in a given axial direction produces movement of said latching means in an opposite direction thereto.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 868,326 10/1907 Casale 135-44 X 1,065,729 6/1913 Salof 135-44 1,453,499 5/ 1923 Hartzell 13S-44 1,491,553 4/1924 Schlesinger 13S- 44 X 2,150,971 3/1939 Heilmann et al. 135-44 X 2,509,887 5/1950 Schlesinger.

2,772,685 12/ 1956 Koch 135--26 FOREIGN PATENTS 288,096 10/1915 Germany.

625,783 1/ 1936 Germany.

210,03 3 9/ 194'() Switzerland.

PETER M. CAUN,Prmary Examiner.

U.S. Cl. X.R.

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE PATENT OFFICE Washington,D.C. 20231 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent No. 3,437,097 April 8, 1969 Heinz Weber It is certified that error appears in the above identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Column 8, line 7, said, second occurrence, should read the same line 7, "rib portions should read portion of said stick Signed and sealed this 7th day of April 1970.

(SEAL) Attest:

WILLIAM E. SCHUYLER, JR

Edward M. Fletcher, Jr.

Commissioner of Patents Attesting Officer 

